Yñigo Ortiz de Retez facts for kids
Yñigo Ortiz de Retez was a Spanish explorer from the 1500s. He was from a region in Spain called Basque Country. He explored the northern coast of an island in the Pacific Ocean, which we now know as New Guinea. He is famous for giving the island its name, "Nueva Guinea."
Early Life of an Explorer
Yñigo Ortiz de Retez was born in a place called Retes de Llanteno in Spain, around the early 1500s. His family was considered noble, but they didn't have special titles like "Duke" or "Count."
We first hear about him in 1538. He joined an expedition led by Pedro de Alvarado. Their goal was to take control of Guatemala and Honduras. In 1541, he helped Alvarado in a battle called the Mixtón War.
In 1542, Ortiz de Retez joined another important trip. This expedition was led by Ruy López de Villalobos. They were sailing to the "Islas de Poniente," which are now known as the Philippines. When they arrived in Mindanao in February 1543, Ortiz de Retez was promoted to a high rank called Maestre de Campo. This meant he was a chief officer in the army.
Discovering New Guinea
Another explorer named Bernardo de la Torre had tried to sail back to Mexico in 1543 but failed. So, López de Villalobos asked Ortiz de Retez to try the same mission. This time, he was to take a more southerly route.
On May 16, 1545, Ortiz de Retez set sail. He was in charge of a ship called the San Juan de Letran. They left from Tidore, an island in the Maluku Islands where Spain had a stronghold. They sailed past the Talaud Islands and the Schouten Islands.
They reached the northern coast of New Guinea. They sailed along this coast until the end of August. Strong winds and currents forced them to turn back. They arrived in Tidore on October 5, 1545. Along the way, they found and mapped many islands. These included islands in Cenderawasih Bay, the Schouten Islands, Ninigo Islands, Kaniet Islands, and Hermit Islands. Some of these islands were given Spanish names.
On June 20, 1545, Ortiz de Retez reached the mouth of the Mamberamo River. He claimed the land for the Spanish Crown. It was here that he gave the island the name it still has today: Nueva Guinea. He called it this because the local people reminded him of the people from the Guinea coast in West Africa.
Most of what we know about Retez's journey comes from Garcia de Escalante Alvarado. He was part of the Villalobos expedition. After returning to Spain, he wrote a report for Antonio de Mendoza, who was the viceroy of New Spain.
Later, Ortiz de Retez and other members of Villalobos's expedition were captured by the Portuguese in the Maluku Islands. According to Escalante, Ortiz de Retez was one of 117 people who were sent back home by the Portuguese in 1548.
See also
In Spanish: Íñigo Ortiz de Retes para niños
